Folding book-case



(No Model.)

P. KAFFENBERGER.

FOLDING BooK CASE.

Patented Mar. 12, 1889.

Illlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll IlIlIllIIllllIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHIIIIIIIIIIIIIII llNTTnn STATES PATENT @Tricee llil'lilill" liivFllEBERGER, OF SPRINGFIELD, )HSHOVRL FOLDING BOOK-CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 399,415, dated March 12, 1889.

Application filed November 19, 1888. Serial No. 291,196. (No model.)

Be it known that I, PHILLIP KAFFENBER- Ginn, ot` Springfield, in the County ot' Greene and State ot' Missouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement in l `ohlingl Book- (Tases, of whieh the Yt'olhinving is a speeiiieation.

lfolding book-eases and other folding artieles have heretofore been made in sueh man ner that after the shelves were removed the sides would. told upon themselves, and also in sueh manner that the shelves and front posts would fold together. These eonstruetions have been i'ound convenient for some purposes, but t'or others objections have been raised to them.

My invention Consists in providing a permanent shelf upon whieh a permaneiit piece is supported at eaeh end, which permanent pieces Jform portions ot the sides7 and oombining with these permanent parts folding sides and removable shelves. By this conlstrnotion a certain amount ot` rigidity is given to the entire structure, which 1 further provide for by providing rods to unite the folding sides, when in platee, with the removable shelves between them.

l will describe in detail the manner of carrying out my invention, and point out in claims the particular features thereof.

Reference is to be had to the aeeompanying drawings, tori'ning a part of this speoiiioation, in which siniilar `letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l represents a front view ot my improved book-sheit' with the parts in position for use. Fig. 2 is a iront view showing' the hinged parts in their folded position"without the removable shelves; and Fig. 23 is a view ot' the inner iaee ot' one ot' the ends ot the struct ure, showing also a section through the permanent shelf, taken on the plane ot theline a", Fig. 1.

The permanent portion ot my eontrivanee comprises a permanent board or shelf, A, and side pieces l H, supported thereon. The board A mayhave stri ps supported thereon or pendent therefroim which may serve both as ornaments to the struetnre and as forming pori tions ot .reeeptaeles for the removable parts during traiisportation or storage, and when the structure is in plaee i'or any article oi' ornament or use. I have shown the strip C pendent from the bottom ot the shelt A at its rear edge, and provided with an ;nnamental edge. 1 have also shown the strips l) I) pendent from the bottom of the shell A at each end thereof. The threesided receptacle thus formed may be used during transportation or storage to receive the removable shelves of the struc-ture, and thus a saving in bulk of package is eiieoted. Thev may also serve as legs to the structure when used as a standing book-ease. l have also shown the shelf A as provided with a longitudinal strip, E, at its front and rear edge, forming with the per1nanent end pieces l l a rectangular space,

which may be of depth and width sutlieient to hold7 say, towels or other toilet articles when the structure in place tor-use, or may, when folded for transportation or storage, hold the removable shelves. I have not shown in the drawings this rectangular space ot sut Iicient proportion as to length and width to serve as a receptacle tor the removable shelves; but any meehanie will readily be able to so proportion the parts.

Attached to the permanent piece B, at each end o1` the shell A, is a folding end, F. 1 have shown a leaf-hinge as the attaching device; but any other device Imrmitting of the part F swinging inward will answer. The part F is provided with means of removably eonneeting therewith shelves ll, of whieh anpv desired number may be used. 1n the example of my oontrivanee shown in the drawings 1 have shown the end pieces F as grooved to receive the shelves 1l; but it is obvious that a supportingstrip or other device f or the shelves might be used to good purpose without departing from my invention.

When the manner of conneeting the shelves 1T and ends F is suoh that the shelves do not act as a tie tor the 1 iarts-as,tor instance, when a groove is employed, as in the example shown in the drawings- 1 use a tie-rod, I, oonnecting the ends F F b v means ot the eyes J J, loeated, preferably, above the uppermost shelf, and either at the bach or trent of the structure. This tie-rod may serve as a our` tain-rod.

The manner ot operating my eoutrivanee will be apparent from the foregoing description.

IOO

By the combination of the parts in the manner described I produce a folding case, which, when put together for use, shall be solid and Without liabilit-y of collapsing, and Which during transportation or storage may be folded into a very small bulk.

It will be apparent to any one that my folding book-ease may be inverted and used in the inverted position. Of course when thus used What I have termed the bottom board becomes the top board, the other parts changing relatively also. The shelves will then be secured in place by any suitable means or as above indica'ted. If the groove is usedto secure them in place the tie-rod will simply be hooked into the eyes from the other side, when the structure will be held rigidly, as before.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a folding case, the combination of a permanent shelf With permanent end pieces and folding end pieces mounted upon the permanent end pieces to move toward each other and the shelf, said folding pieces being provided with means for removably connecting one or more shelves thereto, substantially as specified.

2. In a folding case, the combination of a shelf, A, permanent end pieces B B, folding f 

